Sincere Cinnamon Buns
by Fanwoman
Summary: There are some things teammates can't help you with, but that doesn't mean they won't try. Set between the Kage Summit and the war, Kiba attempts to cheer up Hinata. A little KibaHina, more than a little NaruHina, and a whole lot of Team 8 friendship.


SPOILERS: Through _Naruto_ chapter 488 and _Naruto Shipp_ū_den_ episode 219/the end of the Kage Summit Arc.

NOTES: As a KibaHina enthusiast, I find it almost ironic how much it bothers me that, as far as we know, Naruto hasn't found the time to talk to Hinata in months/over 100 chapters about her confession and nearly dying for his sake. I can't help thinking it bothers Kiba, too. There are two qualities to Kiba's behavior that suggest it might: he continues to be more aggravated with Naruto than anyone else, and he hasn't teased Hinata about what happened like he has about her reactions to Naruto in the past. Combine that with the filler bit about Kiba playing delivery boy, and you have the inspiration for this fic. Since it looks like Naruto will _finally_ be interacting with Hinata, I wanted to get this out sooner rather than later.

DISCLAIMERS: I don't own _Naruto_.

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><p>SINCERE CINNAMON BUNS<p>

She could swear she smelled cinnamon and sugar. As soon as she became aware of the scent, she heard slightly raised voices along the northern edge of the area where her clan had set up camp outside the ruins of Konoha. It had been an eye-opener for some of the older Main family members, having to live and work side-by-side with the Branch family.

As she made her way toward the disturbance, she heard a familiar voice rise above the rest. "Just let me see her a sec', okay?" The statement was followed by a loud bark of agreement.

Rounding the corner of the cooking tent, she found several Branch members trying to block the way of her genin teammate Kiba Inuzuka and his canine partner, Akamaru. Admittedly, they looked rather travel-worn, with Akamaru's fur dingy from dust and a liberal coating of it turning her old teammate's tan, tattooed face a shade paler. But it was not their dirtiness that caused them to hold him back.

The moment Kiba spotted her, his face broke into a big grin. "Hinata!" Akamaru woofed in greeting. "What's with all the security?"

Her family was the most powerful in Konoha because of the unique power of their eyes. Byakugan allowed those who mastered it to see what others could not and could penetrate certain illusion-based techniques, like smoke clones. One glance could separate friend from foe, and he had been her friend for years. But there was no reason Kiba would know all those clansmen skilled with ocular jutsu and still mobile after the devastation of their village were on patrol or missions. Those trying to hold him back could not be sure of who he was, despite his appearance.

Although she didn't need to, for the sake of the others, she activated her byakugan. "It's all right. Please let him pass."

He came right to the edge of her personal space. It was something he'd had trouble with as a genin, since, for him, getting into people's faces was a method of dominating and bonding with them. But he had learned to respect the distance both she and their other teammate, Shino, preferred. That he felt the need to be so close suggested he wished to comfort and support her, and she could only think of one reason why.

"Hey, you're looking chipper." Although he had gotten better at not being as transparent as glass, her familiarity with him allowed her to see his cheer didn't reach his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

Physically, her wounds still ached, but they were almost reassuring in their physicality compared to the ache in her heart."Sakura says I'll be ready for light duties in a few days and should fully recover soon."

"That's awesome!" Even though his cheer was somewhat forced, he seemed more energetic than when she'd last seen him, when they and the other rookies who had taken their first chūnin exam together had confronted Naruto about his missing genin teammate. Sasuke had become an international criminal with a death warrant. While Naruto had begged the leaders of the ninja world to spare Sasuke, Kiba had been a part of the unsuccessful team of age-mates sent to kill the rogue ninja, and he had been quite vocal about questioning Naruto's will to end their old classmate's life. Before and after that mission, Kiba's speed had made him a useful courier for Konoha, and his appearance suggested he'd just returned from a delivery.

"You look like you just got back." She turned into the mess tent, and he and Akamaru followed her. "Would you like some tea?"

"Thanks!"

They both accepted metal mugs of tea, since so much of Konoha's glass and ceramics had been destroyed by the overwhelming force of their enemy's attack, the enemy Naruto had willfully faced alone and she had been wounded by when she'd tried to help. The Branch member minding the kitchen kindly offered a bowl of water for Akamaru. Together, the three of them left the tent to sit on logs arranged around one of her clan's fire pits. Once they were settled, Kiba straightened up with an important air and flipped open the top flap of his satchel, causing the scent of cinnamon to fill the air around them. Drawing out a little, white, paperboard box, he handed it to her with a flourish.

"Special delivery from the Kiba Express!" He flashed a self-satisfied smile as she took the box. "I know how much it sucks to have to stay put and recover from being skewered, so I thought this might make the wait a little more enjoyable."

She didn't have to use byakugan or guess to know what was inside. Lifting the lid, she was overwhelmed by the enticing aroma of fresh cinnamon buns. None of the bakeries in Konoha had been rebuilt yet, and she recognized the insignia on the box as that of a bakery in the capital. Cinnamon buns were her favorite food, and these were the best in the nation of Fire. For Kiba to buy her some at great personal and financial expense, for that bakery was not cheap, was incredibly kind and thoughtful. But despite her mouth watering in anticipation, she felt oddly deflated by his gesture. After a moment, she realized that it was because it placed an obligation on her—he wanted her to feel better because of this gesture, and a part of her resented his expectation. Worst of all, the gift was given under false pretenses. He claimed it was because of her recovery, but he had never gotten her anything this nice before. Indeed, during the countless hospital visits that active ninja inevitably made, sometimes he'd show up with nothing but a single, absently picked wildflower in his hand. That he had deviated so far from the norm meant only one thing.

"Do you not like that kind?" There was a hint of anxiety in his voice.

"You know, don't you?"

Pain flickered in his eyes, like a bird flitting through the trees, then he was scowling. "That one of those bastards ran you through? Of course!" His scowl transformed into a patented Kiba grin. "Like I said, I thought these might cheer you up while you recoup."

He had always been so honest with her, never backed down from speaking his thoughts. Why was he being so careful now? "That I confessed to Naruto..."

Under the weight of her words, Kiba's false cheer began to crumble. What she could see hidden beneath was complicated, a mix of sorrow and fear and anger. "You don't have to..."

She didn't want his pity. "...and that he hasn't spoken to me since."

Akamaru whimpered, and Kiba raised his hands as though he wanted to somehow hold back her words. "Hinata, I didn't..."

"Aren't you going to tease me?" Why she felt the need to pursue a topic that seemed to bother him, she didn't know. Perhaps it had been weighing on her mind so much that all it took was the impetus of his concern to tip her internal balance and cause it to spill from her.

At last, anger won out. "You nearly _died_, Hinata!" He reached for her, past the edge of her personal space, then pulled his hands back to dig his fingers into the log beneath him. "How in hell could you think I'd _tease_ you about it?"

"You always teased me before." Somehow, it would be reassuring to have someone else point out her foolishness.

Hurt crept into his eyes, but his face remained vicious. "I always thought it was just some stupid crush! I thought you'd outgrow it, that you'd realize..." Even in his rage, he kept an unusually tight rein on his words, and she couldn't guess what he'd been about to say.

"That I'd realize what?" How could she not be curious about what her ever-open teammate was trying to keep from saying?

Something potent simmered in his gaze, but she could practically see him shutting down before her eyes, closing himself off from her. "Don't ask me something you don't want to hear the answer to."

It irritated her that he felt the need to avoid the subject, just like everyone else did. His honesty, however uncomfortable at times, was one of the qualities she'd always admired about him. Honesty was an exotically precious commodity among ninja. "You've never had a problem telling me what you think before. Why now?"

All she got was a growl while his eyes went flat as he compartmentalized whatever it was he was feeling and left an emotionless front. It was something he'd learned from her, a Hyūga trait, and his reticence made her feel sick to her stomach.

It surprised her how aggravated she was by his reaction; hiding emotional weakness behind anger was an Inuzuka habit. Although she kept her voice quiet, she used every ounce of command she could muster in an attempt to jar him back into the conversation. "Kiba, tell me!"

With a gnashing of teeth, his eyes narrowed to furious slits. "If you have to kill yourself to get him to notice you, _he's not the right guy!_" He'd shouted it so loudly that in the silence that followed she could actually hear heads turning away from them.

There was a swish of fabric, and Kiba's gaze shifted away from her as she sensed a familiar presence behind her. "That is not for you to say." Shino's smooth, calm voice was a strong contrast to Kiba's rough anger.

She was going to question how her other genin teammate had gotten past the perimeter but didn't get the chance.

"She _asked!_" Although Kiba's tone remained angry, his words were defensive in a way their teammate was uniquely capable of inspiring. "And someone has to say it!"

Apparently Shino intended to change the subject and keep Kiba on the defensive. "Your anti-interrogation skills are still lacking. Why? If-"

"Screw you, Shino!" Akamaru had to lay across his partner's lap to keep him from getting up, but Kiba still pointed angrily at their teammate. "You and everyone else just don't have the balls to say it. I don't _care_ that Naruto's the hero who saved Konoha, that doesn't forgive him for being a blind idiot toward Hinata! He's been nothing but, 'Sasuke this,' and 'Sasuke that' ever since that son of a bitch left!" Kiba spat into the fire as though clearing a bad taste from his mouth.

Hinata was shocked, both that Kiba felt that way and that he'd actually said it. What she'd seen of his relationship with Naruto had always confused her—sometimes working and playing effortlessly together and at other times being at each others throats. In her acute awareness of Naruto's world, she had always been cognizant that no one irritated Kiba quite the way Naruto did, but she had assumed it was because their boisterous personalities were so similar that conflicts were inevitable. That she might be the source of their discord was both enlightening and disturbing. Although teammates were supposed to look out for each other, and Kiba was an especially loyal teammate, she couldn't help wondering why her crush would be a bone of contention for him, considering how he had always teased her about it.

Shino stepped closer so he, too, was on the edge of her personal space, trying to support her in his own way. "We are all entitled to our opinions, but that does not mean-"

"Opinion, my ass!" Kiba's pointing finger honed in on Hinata. "If he can't take five minutes out of saving the world and that asshole to thank the girl who nearly died for him, that makes him a damned moron!"

"And you feel sharing your opinions on this matter will improve the situation?" There was open chastisement in Shino's raised voice.

Throwing his hands in the air, Kiba gave a frustrated shout. "She's the one who brought it up!"

"Are you so weak-willed as to be incapable of denying Hinata's requests?"

For some reason, that silenced Kiba, and in a rare display of acquiescence, his gaze dropped away from Shino. Despite Shino being the powerful heir of one of Konoha's remaining three great clans, Kiba never yielded to their teammate when he thought he was right. Indeed, it took years for him to learn to accede even when he agreed with Shino, which made his concession over this all the more significant. She had never consciously noticed, but Shino was right. Although Kiba might argue and chafe under the suggestions of their peers, he almost always did what she asked. The realization caused an odd, uncomfortable lurch in her heart, though she didn't understand why.

Kiba set down his mug then patted Akamaru's head. The great dog removed himself from his partner's lap, allowing Kiba to stand. Still he didn't look up. "I just wanted to bring you a little treat to cheer you up. I didn't mean to..." He wasn't one to apologize; it was as close as he'd come

Although his visit hardly resolved anything, his honesty was refreshing. The sadness that had perpetually pressed against her chest since she'd first woken up after her fight with Pein felt a little lighter because, at last, someone had acknowledged her situation. She reached up to catch his hand, and he looked at her in surprise.

"Thank you."

This time, there wasn't a birdlike flicker of pain in his eyes; it was more like a whole flock. Then, with no attempt at a false smile, his gaze grew as flat as a Hyūga's. "Sure thing." He nodded absently as he slipped out of her grasp. "I'm glad you're doing better. See you later."

In silence, they watched Kiba and Akamaru leave. The thought that her pain hurt Kiba caused an unpleasant mix of emotions to further turn her stomach. She was a little angry at feeling responsible for his unhappiness, but mostly she felt guilty that she worried him. Swirled in with that was a ripple of gratitude and some mysterious warmth that made her close her hand to keep hold of the sensation of his touch. Touch among shinobi tended to be as rare as honesty.

Apparently Kiba had moved beyond earshot, because Shino spoke again. "I could not arrive any sooner." There was apology in his tone.

She looked over at him. "How did you...?"

Tilting his head slightly as she sensed him shift his gaze from where Kiba had gone to her, his dark goggles flashed in the sunlight. "How? I smelled cinnamon."

Given all of the intuitive leaps she'd heard from him over the years, it wasn't too surprising he'd come to the conclusion that the scent of cinnamon, given its lack in Konoha, meant Kiba was bringing her a treat. What was impressive was that his clan's tents were over a hundred yards away.

"I did not mean to cause trouble between you." It was something she felt only partially at fault for, since contention between the two had not completely disappeared with age and experience. "But I appreciate that you were willing to disagree with him on such a matter."

He shifted fully toward her, an indication that he had something important to say that required all of their attention. "I didn't say I disagreed with him, only that it is not his place to say it."

Speechless, she stared at him with her mouth hanging slightly open as she processed that, of all the topics her polar-opposite teammates might agree upon, they both found Naruto's behavior toward her lacking.

Taking a step away, he nodded his head in his version of a half-bow. "The divisions for the war will be decided soon. While I would prefer for us be in the same one, I believe we will not." Leaning toward her in a subtle show of comfort, he seemed to catch himself and pulled back. "Please take care of yourself. If you need anything..." Nodding again, he turned to go.

She finally found her tongue as he moved outside of her personal space. "Thank you, Shino." She grasped his hand and felt him stiffen at the contact. Even after years of strengthening his hand-to-hand combat and working together, his hands were still remarkably soft and he was still startled by such contact. The hidden techniques of his clan involved sharing their bodies with insects; few willingly touched them. "I'm sorry to have worried you."

Turning fully back to her, he gently squeezed her hand. "You have no need to feel sorry. Why? Because you can no more control what is in your heart than anyone else. Similarly, Kiba and I and others will worry about you because it is impossible for us not to." He slid his long fingers out of hers and tilted his head slightly to the right, an indication of deep thought. "Perhaps, instead of reading complexity into Kiba's gesture, you could look at it simply because, no matter the motivation, his intent was to raise your spirits. Isn't that what matters most?"

Looking down at the box in her lap, she tried to appreciate the delicacy without any baggage attached to it. They were the country's best cinnamon buns. She loved cinnamon buns, and they had been given with kindness by a dear friend. Thinking of it that way warmed her heart and brought a smile to her lips. How could she not enjoy them?

Glancing up, she felt her first sincere smile since she'd woken up after attempting to save Naruto from Pein. "You're right. Thank you."

With a nod he left, and she held her hands to her heart as the memories of rough, warm fingers lingered alongside the cool, smooth ones. No matter whether her love for Naruto was ever returned, she had no need to apologize. But she also had no excuse to feel down because she was truly blessed with people who cared for her and understood her and accepted her for who she was. It might not be everything she wanted, but who could ask for more?

Returning Kiba's mug to the mess tent and refreshing her tea, she settled down by the fire and ate her cinnamon buns with a contented soul.

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><p>DETAILS<p>

According to Narutopedia, one of the _Naruto_ Databooks says cinnamon buns are one of Hinata's favorite foods.


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